1. Morris County School of Technology Physical Education Dept.
Target Heart Rate
Morris County School of Technology Physical Education Dept.

2. What is Target Heart Rate ?
Your target heart rate is 60% to 85% of your maximum heart rate. It is the level at which your heart is beating with moderate to high intensity.
Sustaining a workout at this pace improves cardiorespiratory endurance.

3. Why is it important?
Knowing your target heart rate helps you pace your workouts accordingly and helps avoid burning out, or wasting time by exercising at a level of intensity that is too low.

4. Target Heart Rate Step-by-Step
Before you get out of bed in the morning take your pulse for 1 minute.
Use one of the following methods:
Place your index and middle fingers directly under your ear, then slide your fingers down until they are directly under your jawbone, pressing lightly.
Place your index and middle fingers over the outside of your opposite wrist, just below the base of your thumb.
This number becomes your resting Heart rate.

5. Next, you will use this number to find your target heart rate zone(THR) using the Karvonen formula, a measure of your heart rate reserve. Using this formula, we'll calculate a THR zone between 60% and 85% of your heart rate reserve.
The following example is for a 14year old.
220 – age = Maximum Heart Rate (Maximum number of beats in one min)
Ex = 206
MHR x 60% = low end Target Heart Rate
Ex. 206 x .60 = 123.6
MHR x 85% = High end Target Heart Rate
Ex. 206 x .85 = 175.1
THR Zone =

6. Intensity
The heart rate range you've calculated represents 60-85% of your heart rate reserve, but where do you work within that range?
The answer is working at a variety of levels for different workouts. The ranges you can choose are categorized by intensity: Low Intensity % Medium Intensity % High Intensity % Each level of intensity draws on different energy systems and focuses on different goals such as building endurance (e.g., working at a medium intensity) or increasing your anaerobic threshold and burning more calories (e.g., working at a high intensity).

7. Keep Track
Now that you have your THR zone, you need to decide how you'll keep track of it. The easiest way is with a heart rate monitor. Most come with a chest strap and a watch that allows you to see a continuous reading of your heart rate.
If that isn't an option, you can always periodically take your pulse during your workout by counting the beats for 6 seconds and adding a zero to get your beats per minute

8. Rate of Perceived Exertion
When exercising, it's important to monitor your intensity to make sure you're working at a pace that is challenging enough to help you reach your goals, but not so hard that you blow a lung. One way to do that is to use a Perceived Exertion Scale
In general, for most workouts you want to be at around Level 5-6. If you're doing interval training, you want your recovery to be around a 4-5 and your intensity blasts to be at around 8-9.

10. Talk Test
The ability to talk during your workout can help you determine how hard you're working. The American College of Sports Medicine states: "People who are able to comfortably speak during exercise are likely working out at an acceptable intensity." If you can speak comfortably, you're probably somewhere around the low-middle range of your THR zone (or a level 4-5 on the Perceived Exertion Scale).
Experts generally suggest that you shouldn't be breathless during your workouts. However, if you're doing interval training or a short, high intensity workout, being somewhat breathless is what you're looking for.
If you feel dizzy or lightheaded, you should slow down or stop exercising.